[Alberg30] Additional Info on Mast step

[Tom Sutherland]

George & Mark,

Thanks for these very good illustrations. This brought to mind what I
did to solve this problem with my own mast step a couple of years ago,
and I may have commented on it at the time.

I installed what is called a "Helicoil". This is a brand name and I may
not have spelled it exactly right but most of you will know it as a
thread insert which can be found at any auto supply house or machine
shop. It consist of an over size tap and several stainless steel coils
of threaded insert which resembles a section of spring.

You buy the size which corresponds to the bolt which has stripped out.
The kit comes with the proper size tap which will "not" be a common size
that you might have, it is special made to correspond with the ss
threaded insert. You will also get several ss inserts (may very from one
brand to another) but you can buy more inserts if needed. Also it will
have what they refer to I believe as an insertion tool which is no more
than a bolt the same size as the one you are retapping  with a grove on
the bottom to help screw in the ss insert in your new threaded hole.

My rational in using this as a solution to this particular problem is
the folling: (some may or may not agree) Any reaction between the ss
insert and the mast step is ok because this will never be removed
anyway. It may even be a good idea to use a little thread lock. I do not
believe there should be any problem between the ss insert and the ss
bolt, and so far this has been the case. You could use a little antisize
on the bolt thread if you like.

It is my recolection that these kits sell for about twenty dollars or so
and can be used in future apprications for that size bolt.

Any questions or comments?

Tom S
A30  412


George Dinwiddie wrote:
> 
> Anyone interested in seeing Mark's photos can take a look at
> http://www.alberg30.org/maintenance/disorganized/maststep/
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